MANCHESTER - A couple who tried to detain two men spotted breaking into a car told police they were hit with pepper spray and punched before officers arrived at the scene Wednesday.

Police say the couple, whose names were not released, were in a car outside the man's residence on Sears Drive around 3:30 a.m. when they saw two men walking in the neighborhood and who appeared to be going through parked cars.

The couple confronted the suspects, and the man pinned one of them to the ground, but the other used pepper spray to help his partner get free, police said. The man started to fight the other suspect and pulled off his hat, sweatshirt and backpack before he succumbed to the pepper spray.

The woman had tried to detain the second suspect, who freed himself by punching her in the face, police said. The suspects ran away but did leave behind several items police hope will lead investigators to them.

They were described as white men in their early 20s. One was described as about 6-feet tall and about 180 to 190 pounds. The other was several inches shorter at about 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds.